In a previous article, we explored the blueprint Pope Leo XIV laid out just days after his election. One of the six priorities he identified was that, as a church, we have to focus on loving care for the least and the rejected among us.
This priority echoes Pope Francis and reaches back to Pope Leo XIII’s groundbreaking 1891 encyclical Rerum Novarum, which launched Catholic social teaching. Pope Leo XIII wrote, “God himself seems to incline rather to those who suffer misfortune” (Rerum Novarum 24).
For us, as catechumenate ministers, this means being at the forefront of embracing and caring for those on the margins who suffer from poverty, injustice, or feel rejected by society or, perhaps, even by the church itself. Our call is to accompaniment, meaning we meet seekers exactly where they are, respecting and honoring the life journey they have already been on before they met us.
So how do we make this real in our parish catechumenate teams?
Demonstrate radical hospitality
See Christ in every seeker: No matter the seeker’s background—whether mentally challenged, in a non-traditional relationship, or wary of church authority—we begin by recognizing the presence of Christ within them. We do not have to agree with everything a seeker says to us, but we have to respect them and love them because God loves them.
Accompaniment requires listening: To be a synodal church is to listen—to the Holy Spirit and to the seeker. Marginalized people often carry complex and painful stories. Our job is to create a space where those stories can be shared and listened to with reverence, even when they challenge us. The Spirit often speaks through what we least expect.
Proclaim love before teaching doctrine
Before he became pope, Pope Leo said:
We are often preoccupied with teaching doctrine…but we risk forgetting that our first task is to teach what it means to know Jesus Christ and to bear witness to our closeness to the Lord. (Archbishop Prevost talks about choosing bishops for the church | USCCB).
Imagine meeting a seeker who is emotionally and spiritually bleeding out. What they need most isn’t a lesson plan but an encounter with God’s passionate love.
Communicate the beauty and joy of knowing Jesus: As accompanists, our role is to help seekers fall in love with Jesus. When encountering those who feel rejected or pushed to the margins, sharing with them the truth of Christ’s overwhelming love is healing and liberating.
Be a witness: The best catechesis we can offer is the story of our own conversion and closeness to Christ. This authentic witness can be a powerful bridge for those who are searching for a deeper, more meaningful way of living.
No matter the seeker’s background, we begin by recognizing the presence of Christ within them.
Adapt, adapt, adapt
The old joke goes: the seven last words of the church are, “That’s the way we’ve always done it.” Before becoming pope, Pope Leo said: “Yeah, you always did it that way…but maybe it’s time to change. Maybe it’s time to look at things differently” (What Pope Leo XIV Has Already Said About 5 Key Issues | National Catholic Register).
We know many inherited methods are no longer bearing fruit. But trusting the Spirit’s invitation to a new path takes courage. We need to pray for the boldness to take that new path.
Acknowledge varied paths: Remember that each person’s faith journey “varies according to the many forms of God’s grace, the free cooperation of individuals, the action of the church, and the circumstances of time and place” (OCIA 5). Most will not fit neatly into our timelines and expectations. Those on the margins especially need our flexibility, patience, and generosity.
Engage real-world concerns: Seekers arrive with real doubts and cultural complexities. Some may hold views that challenge church teaching. Accompaniment means listening without retreating from the truth. It requires honest, trusting dialogue with people whose experiences may have left them hurt, guarded, or skeptical.
Confront injustice
Pope Leo XIV’s vision is grounded in the long tradition of Catholic social teaching. Fighting injustice is central to our mission. We are called to challenge every structure or attitude that diminishes human dignity.
Recognize every person’s inherent dignity: To see Christ in every seeker is to reject all prejudice. It can be difficult to love those who seem so different from us. But Christ embraced outsiders like the Samaritan woman, the leper, and the disabled. If we are truly missionary disciples, we have to do the same.
Meet people where they are: Accompaniment means not demanding people “get their lives in order” before we walk with them. Many carry guilt, shame, or the pain of barely hanging on. Our task is to communicate Christ’s love and the beauty of faith in a way that meets them right there.
Challenge structural sin: Though Pope Leo hasn’t named specific issues like racism or sexism, his call to care for those rejected by society and the church demands we face them. Part of our role as catechumenate ministers is to confront structural sin—anything that prevents full human dignity. If we are serious about embracing the margins, we must be serious about justice.
Accompaniment means not demanding people “get their lives in order” before we walk with them.
Conclusion
Pope Leo XIV’s call to love the least and the rejected is at the heart of the gospel. Through radical hospitality, the joyful proclamation of Christ’s love, flexible approaches, and courageous solidarity, catechumenate teams can become true beacons of hope for those who most need a sign of hope today.
What is your story?
How is your team welcoming those on the margins? Share your story in the comments section below—your witness might inspire another parish.
